What time would I need to leave Monterey to drive to SFO and get to the airport at 4:30 pm on a Monday?

1pm.

That should give you plenty of time assuming you don't mean your flight is at 4:30. If there are two of you consider the following route which will take you around the traffic in San Jose on 101. Take 85 just before San Jose and you will have a wonderful HOV lane starting at 3 pm. Then merge with 280, signposted "San Francisco". Take that to 380 which will be signposted SF airport and cut over east on that.(you'll see the airport from up on the hill) Follow signs marked airport not the ones marked San Jose. This way you'll avoid San Jose traffic as well as Palo Alto traffic and all the trucks on 101. 280 is a pretty drive. You might be early but better safe than sorry.

Can you do this in reverse, going from San Francisco to San Jose? If you were headed from SF to San Simeon and you weren't going down Hwy. 1, what would be the best route?

Jean

Jean,

The best(quickest)route to San Simeon from San Francisco is 280 south to San Jose to 101 south to 156 west and 1 south into San Simeon.